This invention relates to signs, posters or banners that are hung from ceilings. In particular this invention relates to retractable hanging mechanisms that are self-leveling.
There have been invented many hangers for hanging signs, advertising materials, or other materials from suspended ceilings. This is usually done by attaching a string or wire to a metal hanger that is attached to the cross bracing that supports the suspended ceiling. The sign is then attached to the other end of the string. This process requires the person hanging the sign to place a ladder under the area where the sign is to be hung, climb the ladder, to reach the suspended ceiling, and attach one end of the string to the ceiling brace. If a second string or wire is used, the process must be repeated. The appropriate length of string is let out and the other or loose end is attached to the sign. This process is repeated for the second string. Each time a new sign is hung, the strings may or may not be replaced, but the sign must be removed and a new sign attached to the loose ends of the string at the proper height. This presents a problem in that the exact amount of string must be measured from the ceiling for each string, or the sign will not be level.
There is also a safety issue when repeatedly moving a ladder into aisles where people may be present. Tools used to hang the sign may fall off the ladder injuring shoppers or employees. The installer may fall off the ladder when attaching the sign. The more times the installer has to climb the ladder, the greater the risk of injury. Thus it would be a great improvement over the prior art if the ceiling hung signs could be changed by a person while standing on the floor.
Various clips have been designed in the past that attach to ceiling members. One example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,227 to Insko. This illustrates a hanger and tool that attaches to a suspended ceiling. The tool allows the hanger to be attached to the ceiling support members while the installer remains on the floor. However this device does not illustrate a self-leveling mechanism, nor does it provide a string or cable with which to attach the sign in a self-leveling arrangement.
In the preferred embodiment applicant""s ceiling hanger has a hanger housing that attaches to an inverted T-shaped ceiling support beam by means of metal spring-loaded clips. Inside of the housing is a spring-loaded reel. One long cable of approximately twenty-four feet has one of its ends attached to the reel. The cable exits the housing and a spring-loaded stopper is threaded onto the cable. The cable passes through a hollow sign tube and a second spring loaded stopper is threaded onto the cable. The opposite end of the cable is attached to the reel. Both ends of the cable are wound on the reel so that when the cable is drawn off the reel, the spring applies a force to wind the cable back onto the reel. The sign is hung from the hollow tube. Each end of the cable is marked with different colored marks every foot, so that the spring-loaded stoppers can be placed to a colored mark on each end of the cable to set the sign hanging height. When the cable is wound back onto the reel, the spring-loaded stoppers engage the hanger housing, keeping the cables from further being wound upon the reel. The cable passes freely through the tube so that when the sign is hung from the tube, the weight of the tube and sign cause the sign and tube to self-level. A user extends a pole that has a molded pole head that engages the tube with either a pushing or grabbing side of the head depending on whether the user want to raise or lower the sign. To change the sign, the tube is pulled towards the ground and the cable unwinds from the reel. The user grasps the tube, changes the sign and/or the stoppers, and pushes the sign lightly with the pole. The weight of the sign and tube is released from the cable, and the cable retracts until the stoppers hit the hanger housing. In this manner the sign can be changed without the installer having to go up on a ladder.
An object of the self-leveling ceiling hanger is to provide a hanger to hang signs from a ceiling with a self-leveling mechanism so that the sign automatically levels itself with respect to the ground. Another object is to provide a ceiling hanger that easily attaches to suspended ceiling support members.
Another object is to provide a ceiling hanger that allows the installer to change the sign while standing on the ground once the hanger housing is attached to the ceiling supports. Related to this object is the object of providing a ceiling hanger that has a cable that extends from and retracts into the ceiling hanger housing by means of a spring-loaded reel. An advantage of this is that it allows the sign to be lowered to the ground by pulling on the sign to change the sign.
Another object is to provide a ceiling hanger that has stopping means on the cable to accurately measure the length of cable removed from the reel so that the sign is mounted the selected height above the floor.
Another object is to provide a ceiling hanger that is economical to manufacture and easy to operate.